The Pope's blessing showed up right on time. Pope Leo XIV's letter invoking "the Almighty's abundant blessings" arrived the same day his hometown White Sox opened the playoffs, and Chicago responded with a 6-3 win over Houston. The letter is a thank-you tied to the team’s August “Pope Night,” when fans received White Sox-themed papal hats. Now, his timing couldn't have been much better. Fittingly, Pope Leo was in the stands the last time the White Sox beat the Astros on their way to a World Series title in 2005.